Ireland, Republic of

Introduction

Ireland, Republic of, Gaelic, Eire, republic (2005 est. pop. 4,016,000), 27,136 sq mi (70,282 sq km). It occupies all but the northeastern corner of the island of Ireland in the British Isles. (For physical geography and history to 1922, see Ireland.) From 1922 to 1937 the country was known as the Irish Free State, and from 1937 to 1949 as Eire.Dublin is the capital of the republic and by far its largest city.